Pressure-dispensing-container cap



Jan. 21, 1930. K. A. WEBER PRESSURE DISPENSING CONTAINER CAP Filed Jan. 5, 1927 MW wt z/ Patented Jan. 21, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE KARL ALBERT WEBER, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO WEBER SHOW- CASE 81; FIXTURE COMPANY, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF CALIFORNIA PRESSURE-DISPENSING-CONTAINER CAP Application filed January 3, 1927.

This invention relates to pressure dispensing container caps and is more particularly related to a cap adapted to be secured to a dispensing container for dispensing liquid under pressure.

In the dispensing of liquids under pressure from containers and particularly in the dispensing of syrups for the mixing of beverages at soda fountains, great dilliculty has been encountered in providing a fluid tight container in which the syrups could be placed under pressure and dispensed through a valve.

It has been found that when syrup in the container is under pressure and that pressure is not immediately shut off during the removal and replacing of the cap that it is difficult to secure the cap to the container in fluid tight relation so that a definite pressure may be maintained on the syrup in the container. The leaking of gas when such caps are removed is also annoying and particularly costly when carbon dioxide gas is used to supply the pressure to the syrup in the containers.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a cap for dispensing containers of liquid under pressure, which cap comprises a body portion which is adapted to be securely affixed to the body of the container in fluid tight relation, and which cap has a cover, and a valve mechanism mounted in the gas pressure conduit that is adapted to be actuated by the said cover when the cover is closed to open the said valve, and which valve mechanism otherwise remains closed.

Another object of this invention is to provide a cap for dispensing containers of syrups under pressure which includes a body which isadapted to be secured to the body of the container in fluid tight relation, a cover removably secured to the container so as to permit the filling or cleaning of the container, and in which cap valve means are mounted for arresting the flow of gas into the container when the said cover is removed and which valve means are maintained open by the cover when the same is secured in position on the said cap.

Other objects and advantages of this in- Serial No. 158,557.

vention will be apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodi ment thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic top plan view of a soda fountain illustrating dispensing containers for syrups under pressure as positioned in the cabinet of the fountain and as provided with caps embodying this invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional side elevation thereof taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional elevation of a container cap embodying this invention illustrating the same as secured to a fragment of a syrup dispensing container.

In the preferred embodiment of this invention illustrated in the drawing, 1 designates a cabinet which may be of any desired construction or form. In the cabinet 1, there is positioned a plurality of ice cream containers 2 which are surrounded with a cooling medium. Mounted in advance of the cabinet 1 is a counter 3 upon which the mixed drinks are served.

Mounted in the cabinet 1, preferably below the counter 3, are dispensing containers 1- in which the syrups to be used in the mixing of the beverages are contained. The containers 4 are preferably positioned immediately below their respective spigots 5 through which the syrups are dispensed. This placing of the containers 4: permits a direct connection of the conduits 6 with the container with a use of a minimum of pipe. In dispensing syrups, it is important that these conduits be made as short as possible so that they may be eaily cooled and so that the syrups will not congeal therein. The containers 4 may, if desired, be kept in a cooling medium 7 to reduce the temperature to that desired for the mixed beverages.

Means are provided for maintaining the syrup in the container 4 under pressure, which means may be of the following construction:

A header pipe 8 extends longitudinally of the cabinet 1 and is connected with a source of gas under pressure (not shown). The gas head into engagement with the seat 36. The

employed is preferably carbon dioxide gas which is used as it maintains the syrups free of oxygen and therefore from spoiling. The header pipe 8 is connected by branches 9 with the caps 10 of the containers 4.

The caps 10 are preferably constructed of a body 11 which is adapted to be secured to the upper edge 12 of the containers 4 in fluid tight relation. For securing the caps 10 to the containers 4 in fluid tight relation, any suitable or desirable means may be employed such, for example, as screw-threading the same in position and employing glass cement to secure the same to the glass body of the containers.

The caps 10 are provided with covers 13 which are removably secured to the said caps so as to permit filling and cleaning of the containers 4. The covers 13 are preferably cast to the form desired to provide a circumfercntial flange 14 between which flange and the upper edge 15 of the cap 10, a packing ring 16 is positioned. The cap cover 13 is provided at its center with a pair of spaced cars 17 between which a latch arm 18 is pivotally secured by a pin 19. The latch arm 18 is pivotally supported at one end by a pin 20 which is passed through a bracket 21 which is formed integral with the cap 10. A lock bar 22 having a nose 23 is mounted on the latch arm 18 and. is pivotally supported in position by means of a latch yoke 24. The latch yoke 24 is pivotally secured in position in an ear 25 which is formed on the cap 10 at a point diametrically opposed to the bracket 21. The nose 23 engages within a latch recess 26 formed in the latch arm 18 when the cover is closed to hold the same in the closed position.

The conduit 6 secured by any suitable coupling means to a conduit 27 which extends through a boss 28 formed on the cap 10 to a point near the bottom of the container 4. The conduit 27 may be welded in position in the boss 28 so as to provide a fluid tight connection.

The branch conduit 9 from the header pipe 8 is secured by a nipple 29 which is screwthreaded to the cap 10 by any suitable coupling means (not shown). The nipple 29 is screw-threaded into a threaded boss 30 and communicates with a chamber 31 at its inner end. The chamber 31 is formed within the casting of the cap 10 and is closed at its lower end with a plug 32. Mounted within the chamber 31 is a valve stem 33 having a valve head 34 secured thereto. A port 35 is formed which permits the gas to flow from the chamber 31 into the container 4. Formed around this port is a valve seat 36 upon which the valve head 34 seats to close the port 35. Mounted on the valve stem 33 between the valve head 34 and the plug 32 is a compression spring 37 which normally urges the valve valve stem 33 extends through the valve head 34 and through the port 35 to a position where the same will be engaged by the cover 13 when the said cover is closed to hold the valve head from engagement with the seat 36 to allow the gas to flow into the container 4. hen the cover 13 is not closed, the spring 37 seats the valve head on the seat 36 to arrest the flow of gas from the header pipe 8.

The use of these automatic shut-oft valves in the caps 10 also results in the closing off of the gas when the cover 13 is removed so that a constant pressure will be maintained in the leader pipe 8 and remainder of the containers 4 when one of the containers 4 is being filled or washed.

The containers 4 are preferably of about one gallon capacity and are of relatively small diameter as compared with their length. The length of the containers 4 is preferably such that the tops thereof will be readily accessible to permit filling and cleaning from the top of the cabinet 1 when the cover 38 is removed.

Having fully described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited to the exact details of construction herein set forth but my invention is of the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a container having a body, the combination of a cap adapted to be secured to the said body in fluid tight relation, a cover removably secured to the said cap, a conduit secured to the said cap and extending to a point near the bottom of the container, means connecting the cap with a source of gas under pressure, and Valve means mounted within the said cap and adapted to be actuated by the said cover to shut off the gas flow from the said source when the cover is opened.

2. A cap for containers comprising a cover removably secured to the cap, means for connecting the cap with a source of gas under pressure, valve means for controlling the flow of gas from the said source into the container, and means adapted to be engaged by the cover when the same is seated on the cap to open said valve means.

3. A cap for dispensing containers of liquid under pressure, comprising a body, a cover reremovably secured to the body, a conduit extending to a source of gas under pressure and connected with the said cap, and valve means within the cap for closing off the flow of gas into the container, and means engaged by the said cover when secured to the body for opening the said valve means.

4. A cap for dispensing containers of liquid under pressure, comprising a body, a cover removably secured to the said body, a conduit for supplying gas under pressure to the said container, a conduit extending through the said cap to a point near the bottom of the container, a valve in the latter conduit, a valve in the former conduit, and means connected with the latter valve and adapted to be engaged by the cover when closed on the cap to hold the said valve open.

5. A pressure syrup container comprising a body, a cap secured in fluid tight relation to the body, an outlet conduit extending through the cap and into the body, an inlet, a valve mounted in the inlet, a cover, and means operably connected with the valve and adapted to be engaged by the cover when closed for holding the valve open.

6. In combination with a soda fountain, a pressure syrup container, means for supplying gas under pressure on the surface of the syrup in the container, a conduit extending into the container to a point near the bottom thereof, a dispensing valve, means connecting the dispensing valve with the said conduit,

a valve mounted in the supply means for supplying gas under pressure to the container, a cover for the container, and means operably connected with the latter said valve and adapted to be engaged by the cover when closed to hold the said valve open.

7. In combination with a soda fountain, aplurality of syrup containers, and means for subjecting the entire contents of said containers to pressure, said means comprising a header pipe, a source of gas under pressure connected with the header pipe, means connecting the header pipe with each of the containers, a cover removably secured to each of the said containers, and valve means mounted in the said connecting means and adapted to be engaged by the said covers when closed to hold the said valve means in open position.

8. In combination with a soda fountain, a plurality of pressure syrup containers, a source of gas under pressure, means connecting each of the said containers separately with the said source of gas under pressure, valve means mounted in the said connecting means, and a removable gas tight cover for each of the said containers, the said valve means being adapted to be closed when a cover is released from container.

9. In combination with a soda fountain, a plurality of pressure syrup containers, the said containers being of a height substantially equal to the height of the cabinet of the soda fountain, a removable gas tight cover for each of said containers, means for subjecting the entire contents of each of said containers to pressure, said means including a header pipe, a source of gas under pressure connected with the header pipe, means con necting the header pipe with each of the containers and a valve means mounted in said connecting means and adapted to be engaged by said cover when closed to hold said valve open, a dispensing conduit connected to each 

